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18 December 2023
Three South Florida Residents Indicted for Kidnapping and MurderRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Today, a federal grand jury in the Southern District of Florida charged Avin Seetaram, a/k/a “Smalls,” 24, Somjeet Christopher Singh, a/k/a “Lil Chris,” 29, and Gavin Hunter, 18, all of Broward County, with murder for hire conspiracy, murder for hire, kidnapping conspiracy, kidnapping, and obstruction of justice, for their involvement in a violent kidnapping and murder of Miami-Dade resident Suren Seetal.
According to allegations contained in the previously filed criminal complaint and today’s indictment, Seetal was last seen alive on November 2, 2023, when he was leaving work. After leaving work, Seetal’s telephone was in the vicinity of Dr. HVAC, Singh’s air conditioning business, before going off network shortly thereafter. Seetal’s body was recovered at Big Cypress Reservation on November 21, 2023.
Seetaram’s arraignment hearing is scheduled for December 28. Hunter’s arraignment hearing is scheduled for January 2, 2024. Singh’s arraignment hearing is scheduled for January 3, 2024. If convicted of the charges contained in the federal indictment, Seetaram, Singh, and Hunter each face a mandatory sentence of life in prison or the death penalty.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of the FBI, Miami Field Office, Sheriff Gregory Tony of the Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO), Chief of Police Manuel A. Morales of the Miami Police Department (MPD), and Chief of Police Delrish L. Moss of the Miramar Police Department (Miramar PD), announced the charges.
FBI Miami, BSO, MPD, and Miramar PD investigated the case with invaluable assistance from the Fort Lauderdale Police Department, Miccosukee Police Department, Margate Police Department, Martin County Sheriff’s Office, Miami-Dade Police Department, Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, Pembroke Pines Police Department, and the Seminole Police Department. The FBI notified Seetal’s family after his remains were discovered. The family’s cooperation was crucial in allowing the investigation to continue and culminate with today’s announcement of charges being filed.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Abbie Waxman is handling the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara Klco is handling asset forfeiture.
This case is part of the Southern District of Florida’s Violence Reduction Partnership (“VRP”) initiative. Through the VRP, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and its federal and local law enforcement allies have sought to dismantle the most violent criminal networks that plague communities throughout the Southern District of Florida. The VRP strives to combat violent crime, narcotics trafficking, gang activity and firearms offenses by prosecuting offenders and working with community leaders and non-profit entities to provide preventive services to the local populations. The charges announced today are the result of the VRP’s law enforcement initiatives. Additional information regarding the VRP initiatives is available at [email protected] (link sends e-mail) or by calling (305) 961-9134.
Anyone with information regarding this matter is encouraged to call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.
The victim’s family asks that the public please respect their privacy during this difficult time.
A criminal complaint and an indictment contain allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case numbers 23-mj-04334 and 23-cr-20483.
Three Men Sentenced for Illegally Possessing Five Firearms Including a "Ghost Gun" at a Phoenix ResidenceRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Victor Alfonso Apodaca Aguilar, 22, of Mexico, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge Douglas L. Rayes to 12 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.
Aguilar’s co-defendants, Jose Bernardo Vega-Ruiz, 27, and Hector Alvarado-Aboyte, 29, were each sentenced on November 20, 2023, to 15 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. All three men, undocumented non-citizens from Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico, pleaded guilty to Alien in Possession of a Firearm.
On March 9, 2023, the three men were living at a house in Phoenix where a federal search warrant was executed. Five firearms, including a “ghost gun,” were located at the residence.
Customs and Border Protection’s United States Border Patrol, with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lisa E. Jennis, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-23-510-PHX-DLR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2023-201_Aguilar# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Theft of 22 Firearms from J.T. Reid Gun Shop Leads to 12-Year Sentence for Biddeford ManRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Biddeford man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for theft from a federally licensed firearms dealer (FFL), possession of a stolen firearm, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and possession of cocaine base with intent to distribute.
U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Tomas Johnson, 40, to 12 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Johnson pleaded guilty on April 27, 2023.
On October 20, 2021, Johnson spent over an hour inside of J.T. Reid’s Gun Shop in Auburn. While there, he asked store employees about multiple firearms and handled a semi-automatic assault rifle with a large-capacity magazine attached to it. Johnson was prohibited from possessing firearms due to multiple prior felony convictions.
On October 24, 2021, Johnson threw a rock through the glass window of J.T. Reid’s front door. Johnson, wearing a hood, mask, and gloves, unlawfully entered the premises through the front door with a backpack and stole 22 firearms from J.T. Reid’s business inventory before fleeing the scene.
On October 28, 2021, as part of the investigation to locate and apprehend Johnson, an undercover officer called a phone number associated with Johnson and arranged to buy a quantity of cocaine base from him. When investigators saw Johnson walking toward the agreed-upon location for the drug deal, they exited their vehicle to approach him and he fled on foot. During the pursuit, Johnson discarded a loaded firearm that was later identified as one of the firearms stolen from J.T. Reid’s. At the time of his arrest, he was found in possession of a quantity of cocaine base.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Auburn Police Department and Lewiston Police Department investigated this case.
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Texas Man Sentenced to Probation for Forging Pesticide Applicator Licenses and Insurance CertificatesRead the Press Release
SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that John Gallagher, age 73, of Crowley, Texas, was sentenced on December 14, 2023, by United States District Judge Robert D. Mariani to two years of probation, following his convictions for committing mail fraud. In pronouncing the sentence, Judge Mariani emphasized Gallagher’s age and significant health complications.
According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Gallagher, a former resident of Pennsylvania, owned and operated J. Douglas Environmental Systems, a fumigation and pest control company. Gallagher altered his and his employee’s expired pesticide applicator certifications, and an expired business license, and forged insurance policy certificates, associated with his work as a licensed applicator for pesticides restricted by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and state environmental agencies. Gallagher provided the altered and forged documents to a pesticide supplier in Virginia, to various clients in Pennsylvania and New York, and to those clients’ auditors. As a result, his business secured over $888,000 worth of contracts through use of the falsified documents.
“The defendant’s decision to illegally portray himself as a trained and licensed commercial pesticide applicator, and his failure to properly inform his customers of the health hazards of a restricted use pesticide, resulted in presenting inexcusable health risks to the public,” said Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Allison Landsman of EPA’s criminal enforcement program in Pennsylvania. “EPA is committed to protecting the health of our communities and holding people criminally responsible for such egregious actions.”
The case was investigated by the EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Phillip J. Caraballo prosecuted the case.
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Statement from Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy on Criminal Complaints Against Alleged Sex Buyers in Boston Commercial Sex Ring ProsecutionRead the Press Release
“Our office made it clear when we announced charges of a commercial sex ring case on Nov. 8, 2023, that the investigation was ongoing and that there would be accountability for the buyers who fuel the commercial sex industry. Today, a Homeland Security Investigations Task Force Officer with the Cambridge Police Department submitted applications for complaints against 28 sex buyers with the Cambridge District Court. Until probable cause has been found, no names will be released. If probable cause is established and criminal charges are issued by the Court, referrals will then be made to the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office.
In addition, we are working closely with Virginia state authorities to begin the referral process of sex buyers from the Virginia locations in this case.
The referral processes will remain ongoing.”St. Tammany Parish Men Indicted for Fentanyl Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – LARRY JAMES, age 23, ALVAREZ JOSEPH CYPRIAN, age 23, and ALSKIIN MILLICAN, age 21, all of St. Tammany Parish, were indicted on December 8, 2023, announced U.S Attorney Duane A. Evans. The indictment was unsealed following the arrest of JAMES, CYPRIAN, and MILLICAN.
In the indictment JAMES, CYPRIAN, and MILLICAN were charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute a mixture or substance containing fentanyl, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(B), 841(b)(1)(C), and 846. JAMES was charged with three counts of distribution of fentanyl and one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(B), 841(b)(1)(C), and 846. JAMES was also charged with being in possession of a stolen firearm, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(j). CYPRIAN was charged with one count of distribution of fentanyl, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C). MILLICAN was charged with one count of distribution of fentanyl, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(B).
If convicted of the drug conspiracy, JAMES and MILLICAN each a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years, up to 40 years, a fine of up to $5,000,000, and at least 4 years of supervised release, and CYPRIAN faces up to 20 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $1,000,000, and at least 3 years of supervised release. Additionally, if JAMES is convicted of being in possession of a stolen firearm, he faces up to 10 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to 3 years of supervised release. For each count charged against them, JAMES, CYPRIAN, and MILLICAN also face payment of a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely an allegation and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Department. Assistant United States Attorney Rachal Cassagne of the Narcotics Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
Southwest Georgian Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Possessing a GunRead the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga. – A Colquitt County, Georgia, resident with a lengthy criminal history in the community and associated with the Ghostface Gangsters was sentenced to prison for illegally possessing a firearm when he was taken into custody while wanted on an outstanding warrant.
Marion C. Wells, 48, of Norman Park, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 85 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge W Louis Sands on Dec.14. Wells previously pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon on Sept. 19. The defendant is not eligible for parole.
“Repeat felony offenders who continually disregard the law and are caught with guns will face federal prosecution,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “This case was brought to our attention by the Colquitt County Sheriff’s Office and their local Project Safe Neighborhoods Task Force, a collaboration of law enforcement and community members working to find effective, evidence-based solutions to reduce crime.”
“Marion Wells has left a long trail of pain and destruction throughout his time in Georgia,” said Supervisory Senior Resident Agent Rich Bilson of FBI Atlanta’s Albany office. “This case shows when we work together and share information, good results occur. Every resource and every force multiplier we possess, will be used to accomplish that goal.”
“Marion Wells is a repeat offender and well-known methamphetamine distributor in our community going back at least twenty years; he is also a documented member of the criminal Ghostface Gangsters,” said FBI Task Force Officer (TFO) and Captain of Field Operations for the Moultrie Police Department Steve Exum. “Colquitt County is safer with Wells off the streets; we are thankful for our strong partnership with federal and state law enforcement working with us to make our community safer.”
According to court documents, Wells was wanted on an outstanding warrant for a parole violation Feb. 4, 2021, when Colquitt County deputies received a tip about his whereabouts and that he was in possession of a rifle. That day, deputies observed Wells driving in Moultrie, Georgia, and conducted a traffic stop. In plain view in the back seat was a rifle with a night scope loaded with 21 rounds of ammunition. There was also 20 grams of methamphetamine under the driver’s side back seat, along with a box of plastic Ziploc bags, two glass smoking devices and lighter, sixteen 9mm rounds and $3,390 cash. Wells has a lengthy criminal history in Colquitt County and the Southwest Georgia region spanning nearly three decades, including multiple felony drug charges, criminal attempt to commit a felony, eluding police officers and battery-family violence.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The case was investigated by the FBI Gang Task Force and the Moultrie-Colquitt County Drug Enforcement Team.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Monica L. Daniels prosecuted the case for the Government.
Sisseton Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Abusive Sexual Contact by ForceRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Sisseton, South Dakota man, convicted of Abusive Sexual Contact by Force. The sentencing took place on December 11, 2023, in Pierre, South Dakota.
Ira Alan Arias, age 48, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release. He was ordered to pay $100 as a statutorily required special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Arias was indicted for Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Child by a federal grand jury in April of 2018. He pleaded guilty on October 23, 2023.
According to court documents, on or about May 3, 2015, Arias forcefully engaged in three sexual acts with the victim, who was 14 years old at the time of the sexual abuse. The sexual abuse occurred in a hotel room in Codington County.
This case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy R. Jehangiri prosecuted the case.
Arias was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service to continue serving his sentence.
San Antonio Man Gets 20 Years in Federal Prison for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio man was sentenced in federal court in San Antonio to 240 months in prison for distribution of child pornography.
According to court documents, David Alejandro Bautista, 32, distributed numerous files depicting the sexual abuse of prepubescent children engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Conducting a search warrant, federal agents seized 21 electronic devices from Bautista’s home, revealing more than 15,000 image files and over 8,200 video files containing child sexual abuse material.
In addition to imprisonment, Bautista was ordered to pay $84,000 restitution, special assessments in the amounts of $100, $5,000 and $35,000, and he must forfeit his electronic devices.
“This lengthy two-decade prison sentence reflects the horrendous damage that has been caused and furthered by the defendant’s actions,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “Thank you to our law enforcement partners for their critical investigation. Together, we will continue to track down and prosecute offenders in the interest of protecting innocent children and keeping our communities safe.”
“Today, the defendant received a just punishment for his depraved actions. These sentences are important to help in the fight to protect children and to deter others from engaging in such crimes,” said Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee for the Homeland Security Investigations San Antonio Division. “HSI will continue to vigorously investigate and prosecute individuals who exploit our most vulnerable victims.”
HSI investigated the case with valuable assistance from the San Antonio Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Bettina Richardson prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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Salvadoran Sentenced to Two Years in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing Two Handguns and Threatening to Kill Domestic Abuse VictimRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- Ramon Alvarez-Hernandez, 40, of El Salvador has been sentenced to two years in federal prison after pleading guilty to unlawful possession of a Firearm by an Illegal Alien.
According to court documents, on February 22, 2023, IMPD officers were dispatched to investigate a domestic violence incident. Upon arrival, officers learned Alvarez-Hernandez punched, choked, and pulled a firearm on the victim, threatening to kill her. Officers observed bruises on the victim’s face and red marks on her neck. Alvarez-Hernandez was not present at this time.
The next day, officers learned that Alvarez-Hernandez threatened to shoot the victim if she cooperated with the police. Alvarez-Hernandez also threated the victim’s neighbor and attempted to question the neighbor about his relationship with the victim.
On April 12, 2023, Alvarez-Hernandez was arrested on an outstanding warrant during a traffic stop. Officers searched his person and located a two handguns and 19.3 grams of cocaine. Alvaerz-Hernandez is a citizen of El Salvador, and not lawfully present in the United States. Under federal law, individuals who have not obtained citizenship in the United States and are present without lawful status are prohibited from possessing firearms.
“Research shows that armed domestic abusers pose a profound risk to the safety of those closest to them and to the public at large. Our office, together with IMPD and HSI, will continue to prioritize the LEATH initiative to save the lives of those impacted by domestic violence,” said U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Zachary A. Myers.
Homeland Security Investigations and IMPD investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge James R. Sweeney II. Judge Sweeney also ordered that Alvarez-Hernandez be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for three years following his release from federal prison.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy C. Fugate, who prosecuted this case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was brought as part of the LEATH Initiative (Law Enforcement Action to Halt Domestic Violence), named in honor of Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) Officer Breann Leath, who was killed in the line of duty while responding to a domestic disturbance call. A partnership among the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the IMPD, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana, the LEATH Initiative focuses federal, state, and local law enforcement resources on domestic violence offenders who illegally possess firearms.
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Repeat Offender Sentenced to 7 Years for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Devin A. Lewis, 38, La Crosse, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 7 years in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release for possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Lewis pleaded guilty to this charge on August 9, 2023.
In February 2023, Lewis was a passenger in a vehicle that was stopped by a La Crosse police officer for a traffic violation. During the stop, Lewis jumped out of the vehicle and attempted to flee. After being caught, Lewis physically struggled with an officer to resist arrest. Retracing Lewis’s path, officers found a bag containing over 200 grams of prepackaged methamphetamine and a smaller amount of fentanyl. Text messages on Lewis’s phone indicated he was intending to sell these drugs.
Lewis has a lengthy criminal history involving the trafficking of controlled substances, including a number of prior convictions where he has tried to run from law enforcement and resist arrest. Lewis’s convictions also include causing substantial injury to an officer and armed robbery.
Judge Peterson acknowledged that Lewis’s conduct was the last link in a chain of criminality and that this activity degrades the community. Judge Peterson also noted that the volume of Lewis’s drug dealing extended beyond the level of supporting personal use.
The charge against Lewis was the result of an investigation conducted by the La Crosse Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anita Marie Boor and Steven Ayala prosecuted this case.
Putnam County Man Sentenced to Prison for Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Gregory Alan Haston II, 40, of Scott Depot, was sentenced today to three years and nine months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 2, 2023, Haston was a passenger in a vehicle pulled over by a law enforcement officer in the St. Albans area. During a search of the vehicle, the officer seized a bag that he found on the floor near Haston’s feet. Haston admitted that the bag contained approximately 76 grams of fentanyl, which he possessed with the intent to distribute.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the St. Albans Police Department.
Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Lesley C. Shamblin prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-136.
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Physician convicted for prescription drug conspiracy resulting in deathRead the Press Release
Shakeel Kahn, age 57, was convicted by a federal jury of crimes involving drug distribution, firearms possession, and money laundering. According to court records and trial evidence, between 2011 and 2016, Kahn was a licensed medical doctor who operated clinics in Casper, Wyoming, and Fort Mohave, Arizona. Kahn unlawfully distributed drugs by writing prescriptions for large quantities of opioids without any legitimate medical need in exchange for cash payments from his customers. Kahn possessed firearms in furtherance of his unlawful drug distribution, and at least one person died after overdosing on drugs distributed by Kahn.
The jury returned its verdict on Dec. 15 following a six-week week trial before U.S. District Court Alan B. Johnson in Casper.
Kahn was previously convicted of these same crimes in 2019, but those convictions were overturned by the United States Supreme Court due to a faulty jury instruction.
This crime was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, IRS Criminal Investigation and the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation. The case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Wyoming.
Philadelphia Man Convicted by Jury Trial for Several CarjackingsRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Amir Wilson, 22, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was convicted by a jury of conspiracy, two counts of carjacking, and using or carrying a firearm during a crime of violence arising from his role in two carjacking incidents that took place in Philadelphia in May 2021.
On the evening of May 15, 2021, at approximately 10:30 p.m., Wilson and others pulled alongside a man on his way to work, produced guns, and demanded his keys while holding him at gunpoint. The group then fled the scene in their original vehicle and the victim’s carjacked vehicle. Hours later, on May 16, 2021, at approximately 3:00 a.m., Wilson and others pulled alongside two men who were leaving a graduation celebration for a friend. The carjackers again produced guns and demanded the keys to that victim’s vehicle and fled the scene in the two cars. A short time later, members of the Philadelphia Police Department spotted the carjacked vehicle and attempted to stop it. The vehicle fled from police, leading them on a high-speed chase that was discontinued for safety reasons. Police found the second victim’s car abandoned a short time later.
On May 16, 2021, at approximately 5:15 p.m., members of the Philadelphia Police Department were on routine patrol and spotted the first victim’s vehicle. They attempted to stop the car, but it fled from police, leading them on another chase. Police caught up to the car after it struck another vehicle and crashed through a fence at Germantown and Hunting Park Avenues and saw Wilson flee from the car on foot. He was apprehended a short time later. Digital and forensic evidence linked Wilson to the two carjacking incidents.
“Amir Wilson’s guilty verdict reaffirms our ongoing commitment to keeping our citizens safe,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. This case is another excellent example of ATF’s continued efforts working with our partners and proudly serving as part of the joint carjacking task force led by the Philadelphia Police Department. We will continue working with our local, state, and federal partners in making sure violent individuals are held accountable when they threaten the safety of the community.”
“The type of violent crimes committed by the defendant are the very reason the carjacking task force was created,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Eric DeGree. “The ATF will continue to support the Philadelphia Police Department and the United States Attorney’s Office, as we seek to create a safer city for the citizens of Philadelphia.”
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Philadelphia Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Priya T. De Souza and Martin E. Howley, Jr.
Over $118,000 in Fraud Proceeds Seized and Will Be Returned to VictimRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that on November 29, 2023 United States District Judge Greg G. Guidry entered a Final Judgment of Forfeiture against more than $118,000 worth of cryptocurrency seized from an individual involved in a pervasive computer-based scheme. The money will be returned to the victim.
According to the Verified Complaint for Forfeiture in Rem filed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, in about January 2023, unidentified criminal actors colluded to access, without authorization, a computer belonging to a resident of the Eastern District of Louisiana. This unlawful access caused a pop-up message to appear on the victim’s computer screen instructing the victim to call a number purporting to be Apple Support for further assistance. The victim called the number and a hacker, impersonating Apple Support personnel, told the victim that hackers had accessed the victim’s computer and made unauthorized financial charges to that account. The victim was instructed to enter a series of commands in the terminal screen so the computer could run an activity monitor and remove the purported hackers’ access to the victim’s computer.
Approximately one week later, another criminal actor impersonating a financial institution representative, called and advised the victim that the Federal Reserve had instructed the victim to transfer money from the financial institution to Coinbase, a cryptocurrency exchange platform. The impersonator said that the Federal Reserve advised that the transfer must occur for safekeeping purposes until the Apple Support activity monitor program was complete. As a result, between July 29, 2022, and August 8, 2022, the victim transferred approximately $118,753.47 to a Coinbase account.
Shortly thereafter, the victim became concerned about the legitimacy of the scheme and contacted the Federal Reserve, Consumer, Financial Protection Bureau, Office of Inspector General (OIG CFPB OIG). OIG CFPB OIG and United States Secret Service analysts successfully traced funds to the victim’s Coinbase deposits and learned that the funds were quickly laundered through a series of cryptocurrency addresses. Through the issuance of legal process and, ultimately, the Final Judgment of Forfeiture, the funds were recovered and will soon be returned to the victim. Civil forfeiture prevents unjust enrichment where criminal prosecution is unfeasible.
Cyber incidents and data breaches such as this are increasingly common and continue to proliferate globally. But they can be prevented. Here are some tips:
- Configure your firewalls to block access to known malicious IP addresses.
- Update operating systems, software and firmware on devices.
- Be on the lookout for requests to transfer funds, especially if the request is pronounced with a sense of urgency.
- Be cautious with strangers. Don’t send payments to unknown people or organizations seeking monetary support or urge immediate action.
For more information visit the Secret Service’s Preparing for a Cyber Incident page.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Secret Service and the Federal Reserve, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Office of Inspector General in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Alexandra Giavotella, Asset Forfeiture Coordinator, of the Monetary Penalties and Recovery Unit, handled this case.
Orlando Restauranteur Sentenced to Federal Prison for Tax FraudRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL – U.S. District Judge Roy Dalton, Jr. today sentenced Manuel Tato to four years and nine months in federal prison for willfully failing to pay employment taxes. The court also ordered Tato to pay a $250,000 fine and $93,690.66 in restitution. Tato had pleaded guilty on April 27, 2023.
According to court documents, Tato owned and operated multiple restaurants in the Orlando area from at least 2010 to 2017, including Spice Modern Steakhouse. Tato was also the owner and operator of an entity called Core Food Group, an affiliated company for Tato’s restaurants that was responsible for processing payroll for the employees of Tato’s restaurants. Tato employed approximately 645 restaurant workers between 2010 and 2017 and had a duty to collect and pay over employment taxes on behalf of those employees. Employment taxes include federal income tax, Medicare, and Social Security.
While Tato withheld employment taxes from his employees’ paychecks and informed his employees that he was doing so on their paystubs, he never actually paid those taxes to the Internal Revenue Service. During the charged time frame, July 2016 to March 2017, Tato failed to pay the Internal Revenue Service $93,690.66. Throughout the entire time Core Food Group existed, Tato failed to pay over $2 million in taxes that he had withheld from his employees and owed in relation to their employment. Tato used a complex corporate structure, different Federal Employer Identification Numbers, and numerous bank accounts to attempt to disguise his criminal activity.
During this time, Tato maintained a lavish lifestyle, sending his children to private school, and living in a million-dollar mansion with a private tennis court.
Additionally, in 2020, and after being informed that he was under investigation for failing to pay employment taxes, Tato and his family purchased a beach house.
“Restaurant owners who neglect their responsibility to file or pay employment taxes are placing themselves in a heated situation by betraying the trust bestowed upon them by their employees and the American public.” said Tara K. Reed, IRS-CI Acting Special Agent in Charge. “Today’s sentencing cooks up a fresh reminder to those who prioritize a luxurious lifestyle over fulfilling their obligations towards hardworking employees and the nation's tax requirements will not escape justice.”
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dana Hill and Special Assistant United States Attorney Rachel S. Lyons.
One of two Nigerian citizens who defrauded U.S. Pandemic programs of more than $1 million pleads guiltyRead the Press Release
Tacoma – One of two Nigerian citizens who resided in Canada, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft for defrauding pandemic unemployment benefit programs in multiple states, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Sakiru Olanrewaju Ambali, 45, was arrested in February 2023, in Frankfurt, Germany, as he traveled back to Canada from Nigeria. Ambali was detained in Germany and was extradited to the U.S. last August. Prosecutors will recommend a sentence of five years in prison when Ambali is sentenced by U.S. District Judge Robert J. Bryan on March 14, 2024.
In his plea agreement Ambali admits he and codefendant Fatiu Ismaila Lawal, 45, used the stolen identities of thousands of workers to submit over 1,700 claims for pandemic unemployment benefits to over 25 different states, including Washington State. In total, the claims sought approximately $25 million, but the conspirators obtained approximately $2.4 million, primarily from pandemic unemployment benefits. As part of his plea agreement Ambali has agreed to make restitution of $1,035,107.
The co-conspirators allegedly submitted claims for pandemic unemployment benefits to New York, Maryland, Michigan, Nevada, California, Washington and some 19 other states. Using 13 Google accounts, they filed some 900 claims. The co-conspirators also allegedly established four internet domain names that they then used for fraud – creating some 800 different email addresses that were used for fraud. Between March 2020 and December 2021, Ambali admits he personally submitted at least 620 claims for unemployment benefits that paid more than $1 million.
Additionally, between 2018 and 2021, Ambali used stolen personal information of eight U.S. citizens to try to claim tax refunds totaling more than $40,000. The IRS caught most of the fraud.
Ambali also attempted to use the stolen American identities for Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) to defraud the Small Business Administration (SBA). The SBA caught most of the fraud and paid only $2,500.
Ambali and his co-conspirators had the proceeds of their fraud sent to cash cards or to “money mules” who transferred the funds according to instructions given by the co-conspirators. They also allegedly used stolen identities to open bank accounts and have the money deposited directly into those accounts for their use.
Lawal was arrested in Canada in February and is pending extradition.
The National Unemployment Fraud Task Force provided a lead on this case to the investigative team in Western Washington. The case was investigated by the FBI with assistance from U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) and the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG). Also contributing to the investigation were Washington State Employment Security Division (ESD), the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), and the Small Business Administration (SBA).
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Cindy Chang of the Western District of Washington. DOJ’s Office of International Affairs is assisting.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
New York and Delaware Companies are Enjoined from Manufacturing and Distributing Adulterated and Misbranded Dietary SupplementsRead the Press Release
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Brian M. Boynton, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Civil Division, and Michael C. Rogers, MS, Acting Associate Commissioner, of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)’s Regulatory Affairs announced today that two New York companies, a Delaware company, and the companies’ owner have been enjoined from distributing and manufacturing adulterated and misbranded dietary supplements in violation of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA).
“Consumers trust that dietary supplements they purchase are unadulterated. My Office is working diligently with our partners at the Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch and the FDA to ensure that these products are what they purport to be and safe. When they are not, we will take all appropriate action to protect consumers.” stated United States Attorney Peace.
“Dietary supplement manufacturers and distributors have an important responsibility to ensure product quality and safety,” stated Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Boynton. “The Justice Department will continue to work closely with the FDA and take action against manufacturers and distributors who fail to abide by laws designed to protect public health.”
“It is imperative that dietary supplement manufacturers comply with the FDA’s regulatory requirements to help ensure product safety and protect consumers,” said Acting Associate Commissioner Michael C. Rogers, MS, for FDA’s Regulatory Affairs. “When evidence of non-compliance is identified, the agency holds dietary supplement manufacturers responsible. The FDA is dedicated to exercising its full authority under the law to take action against adulterated dietary supplements, as part of our ongoing commitment to protect the health of U.S. consumers.”
A civil complaint filed on October 18, 2023 at the request of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), alleged that Total Body Nutrition LLC, TBN Labs LLC, and Loud Muscle Science, LLC (collectively, “TBN companies”), and the companies’ owner, Mohammed Islam, violated the FDCA at the companies’ facility in Hauppauge, Long Island, and their previous facility in Edgewood, New York, by manufacturing and distributing adulterated and misbranded dietary supplements. The complaint alleges that Islam and the TBN companies violated the FDCA by manufacturing dietary supplements without establishing product specifications for the finished batches and without testing or examining the finished batches to verify that they met product specifications, and by using dietary ingredients in their dietary supplements without first testing or examining the ingredients to verify their identity. The complaint also alleged that FDA inspected the TBN companies’ current and previous facilities four times, in 2017, 2018, 2021, and 2023, and found violations of the FDCA at each inspection. According to the complaint, FDA also issued Islam and the TBN companies warning letters in 2016, 2017, and 2019.
Islam and the TBN companies agreed to settle the suit and be bound by a consent decree of permanent injunction. The negotiated consent decree entered by the court enjoins Islam and the TBN companies from violating the FDCA, and requires, among other things, that Islam and the TBN companies comply with the dietary supplement current good manufacturing practice regulations and the dietary supplement labeling provisions of the FDCA and its implementing regulations. Further, Islam and the TBN companies must destroy all of their adulterated dietary supplements.
Assistant United States Attorney Michael Blume of the Eastern District of New York and Trial Attorney Kimberly R. Stephens of the Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch are handling the case with assistance from Associate Chief Counsel Roselle Oberstein of the FDA’s Office of the Chief Counsel.
In March 2022, Mr. Peace announced the creation of a Consumer Protection Team in the Office’s Civil Division. The Consumer Protection Team has focused on protecting the health, safety, economic security, and dignity of individuals in the Eastern District of New York and nationwide, including our most vulnerable residents.
The claims resolved by the consent decree announced today are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
E.D.N.Y. Docket No.: 23-CV-9073
New Jersey Man Sentenced to Prison for $1.5 Million Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A New Jersey man was sentenced today in connection with his scheme to defraud a friend of more than $1.5 million.
Edwin Tavarez, 48, of Garfield, N.J., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Leo T. Sorokin to 18 months in prison and two years of supervised release. Tavarez was also ordered to forfeit $1,515,836. On May 31, 2023, Tavarez pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud.
Between March 2015 and February 2020, Tavarez executed a scheme in which he conned a decades-long friend into “investing” more than $1.5 million into a purported development deal for an industrial property in the Dorchester neighborhood of Boston. In fact, Tavarez pocketed the money and used it to fund a restaurant he owned in the Bronx, N.Y., for personal expenses, and at casinos. Tavarez hid his scheme by sending text messages to the victim with fake updates on the purported property development and blaming project delays on the permitting process.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Office made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kristen A. Kearney and Leslie A. Wright of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.
New Jersey Man Pleads Guilty to Leading One of the Largest No-Fault Insurance Frauds in New York HistoryRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that BRADLEY PIERRE pled guilty today to conspiracy to commit bribery and conspiracy to defraud the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) in connection with his orchestration of a $60 million fraud targeting No-Fault automobile insurance companies. PIERRE pled guilty before the Honorable Paul G. Gardephe and is scheduled to be sentenced on May 7, 2024.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “For over a decade, Bradley Pierre led one of the largest No-Fault insurance frauds in the history of New York, bribing medical professionals and others, scamming insurance companies, defrauding the IRS, and ultimately denying many accident victims fair and proper treatment because of his rigged system. But innocent victims will not stand alone. Those who seek to shamelessly reap the benefits of scams like this will be brought to justice.”
According to the Indictment, the plea agreement, and statements made in court:
New York and New Jersey No-Fault insurance laws require a driver’s automobile insurance company to pay automobile insurance claims automatically for certain types of motor vehicle accidents, provided that the claim is legitimate and below a particular monetary threshold. Pursuant to these requirements, insurance companies will often pay medical service providers directly for the treatment they provide to automobile accident victims without the need to bill the victims themselves. This process resolves automobile claims without apportioning blame or fault for the accident, thereby avoiding protracted disputes and the costs associated with an extended investigation of the accident.
From at least in or about 2008 through in or about 2021, PIERRE agreed with others (the “Clinic Controllers”) to unlawfully own and run medical clinics located in the New York area including, among others, Veda Medical, Sky Medical, Sun Medical, and Rutland Medical (the “Clinics”). PIERRE knew that clinics are unable to bill insurance companies for No-Fault benefits if the medical facilities are controlled by non-physicians. PIERRE nonetheless agreed with others, including doctors, to submit bills to insurance companies falsely representing that the Clinics were owned and operated by licensed doctors, and for doctors to lie under oath during Examinations under Oath (“EUOs”) about the ownership, control, and finances of the Clinics. PIERRE personally coached doctors to lie under oath in these EUOs.
PIERRE used his control of the Clinics for personal profit. Between 2008 and 2021, PIERRE took over $20,000,000 from the Clinics by either transferring the funds directly to bank accounts under his control or using the Clinics' bank accounts to pay his personal finances. PIERRE also used his control of the Clinics to steer prescriptions to pharmacies in return for over a million dollars in kickbacks and to steer patients to seek legal representation from his wife’s law firm, the Law Firm of Nonna Shikh (the“Shikh Firm”). The Shikh Firm then filed lawsuits against insurance companies on these patients’ behalf. PIERRE maintained an office at the Shikh Firm and was actively involved in the legal practice as a “manager.”
PIERRE used his control of the Clinics and his managerial role at the Shikh Firm to also steer patients to seek MRIs at a medical facility over which he exercised substantial control (the “MRI Facility”). PIERRE also agreed with the purported sole owner of the MRI Facility, who was a doctor, that the doctor would falsely report injuries in MRI reports. These falsified injuries allowed the Clinics to bill insurance companies for additional, unnecessary medical services and allowed attorneys to falsely claim injuries in lawsuits against insurance companies. PIERRE and the doctor agreed that the doctor would lie to insurance companies during EUOs about PIERRE’s role in the MRI Facility.
PIERRE hid his control over several of the Clinics and the MRI Facility using phony loan arrangements. These agreements claimed that PIERRE was making non-recourse loans to the Clinics and the MRI Facility, which would only have to be paid back if insurance companies paid the medical practices’ claims. The agreements also set PIERRE’s “fee” as twice the amount loaned to the practices. However, in reality, PIERRE took almost $10,000,000 in excess of what these purported loan agreements permitted.
PIERRE further agreed to pay bribes to fill the Clinics and the MRI Facility with patients. From at least in or about 2015 up to and including 2021, PIERRE agreed with others to pay bribes to hospital employees, 911 dispatchers, and other individuals (collectively, “lead sources”) for the confidential names and numbers of motor vehicle accident victims. PIERRE agreed that others, including Anthony Rose, a/k/a “Todd Chambers,” would then call victims and lie to them to induce victims to receive medical treatment at the Clinics and legal representation from the Shikh Firm. PIERRE helped Rose expand his bribery operation to New Jersey by recommending clinics and attorneys in the state that would pay kickbacks for referrals. PIERRE also recommended that Rose open a shell company to hide the illegality of the payments, which Rose in fact did. PIERRE paid Rose over $800,000 as part of the bribery scheme.
PIERRE further recruited his own lead sources to participate in the bribery scheme. For instance, in or about 2017, PIERRE recruited Andrew Prime, knowing that Prime was bribing 911 operators and a hospital employee for confidential information. PIERRE paid Prime over $800,000 as part of the bribery scheme. PIERRE also personally recruited and bribed several of his own lead sources, including 911 operators and a source in 2019 that PIERRE codenamed the “Motherload” or “ML.”
PIERRE also agreed to bribe medical offices to send patients to the MRI Facility for MRIs. These medical offices included, among others, Epione Medical Center and Modern Brooklyn Medical. PIERRE facilitated these bribe payments through several intermediaries, including Anthony Rose, Jelani Wray, and others. PIERRE paid Jelani Wray over $800,000 in connection with these bribes.
PIERRE then engaged in tax evasion. PIERRE utilized two companies in connection with the healthcare fraud and bribery schemes: Medical Reimbursement Consultants (“MRC”) and Marketing 4 You (“M4Y”). PIERRE hid income from the IRS by concealing multiple bank accounts for MRC and using a series of check cashers for checks made out to MRC and M4Y. PIERRE also paid personal expenses from MRC and M4Y’s bank accounts but improperly reported these payments as “business expenses.” These included payments for his wedding, home renovations, jewelry, furniture, luxury clothing, travel, and gifts. In total, PIERRE underreported income, falsely reported expenses of over $4 million, and deprived the IRS of approximately $1.5 million in taxes due.
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BRADLEY PIERRE, 41, of Closter, New Jersey, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bribery, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, and one count of conspiracy to defraud the IRS, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Williams praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit and the White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mathew Andrews, Qais Ghafary, and Michael Lockard are in charge of the prosecution.
Muncie Drug Dealer Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Armed Trafficking of Fentanyl PillsRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- Jesse Daniel Ross, II, 23, of Muncie, Indiana, has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of a substance containing fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents, on multiple occasions in early 2023, Drug Enforcement Administration agents observed Ross sell a total of 1,000 fentanyl pills for $3,000.
On June 12, 2023, a search warrant was executed at Ross’ Muncie home. Officers located over 3,000 more pills containing a total of 779 grams of fentanyl, over $12,000 in cash, and two handguns. Both of the guns were loaded and within arm’s reach of Ross’ fentanyl stash and drug proceeds.
In an interview with investigators, Ross admitted to selling “M30” labeled fentanyl pills to as many as four people per day.
At the time of his arrest, Ross was on probation in Delaware County following a prior conviction for dealing narcotics in the presence of a minor. Ross is prohibited under federal law from possessing a firearm due to his previous felony conviction.
“The ongoing fentanyl crisis continues to ravage our families and communities—drug poisonings are now the leading cause of death for Americans 18 to 45 years old. The defendant had a direct hand in pushing thousands of these poisonous pills into Muncie’s neighborhoods,” said Zachary A. Myers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Armed fentanyl traffickers are a top priority of the U.S. Attorney’s Office. With our federal, state, and local partners, we are committed to dismantling these operations and ensuring that those responsible are held accountable.”
The DEA, Muncie- Delaware County Drug Task Force and the Muncie Police Department investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Tanya Walton Pratt. Judge Pratt also ordered that Ross be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for five years following his release from federal prison.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Barry D. Glickman, who prosecuted this case.
According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, as little as two milligrams of fentanyl can be fatal, depending on a person’s body size, tolerance, and past usage—a tiny amount that can fit on the tip of a pencil. Seven out of ten illegal fentanyl tablets seized from U.S. streets and analyzed by the DEA have been found to contain a potentially lethal dose of the drug.
One Pill Can Kill: Avoid pills bought on the street because One Pill Can Kill. Fentanyl has now become the leading cause of death for adults in the United States. Fentanyl is a highly potent opioid that drug dealers dilute with cutting agents to make counterfeit prescription pills that appear to be Oxycodone, Percocet, Xanax, and other drugs. Fake prescription pills laced with fentanyl are usually shaped and colored to look like pills sold at pharmacies. For example, fake prescription pills known as “M30s” imitate Oxycodone obtained from a pharmacy, but when sold on the street the pills routinely contain fentanyl. These pills are usually round tablets and often light blue in color, though they may be in different shapes and a rainbow of colors. They often have “M” and “30” imprinted on opposite sides of the pill. Do not take these or any other pills bought on the street – they are routinely fake and poisonous, and you won’t know until it’s too late.
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Montgomery Woman Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Child Sex TraffickingRead the Press Release
Montgomery, Alabama – Today, Acting United States Attorney Jonathan S. Ross announced that a federal judge sentenced 27-year-old Laporchie Howard, a resident of Montgomery, Alabama, to 120 months in prison. Howard’s sentence follows her entering a guilty plea to the charge of sex trafficking a minor. During the December 15, 2023, sentencing hearing, the judge also ordered that Howard serve five years of supervised release following the prison term. Federal prisoners are not eligible for parole.
According to her plea agreement and other court records, in early 2017, Howard resided with two co-defendants — D’Vonte Lockley and Tracey Shannon — in an apartment located in Montgomery. Sometime before May 4, 2017, a female runaway under the age of eighteen and an adult female were invited to live with Howard at her apartment. In her plea agreement, Howard acknowledged that she and her co-defendants knew that one of their new roommates was a minor. In return for food and housing, the two new residents engaged in commercial sex at a Montgomery hotel. Howard received the proceeds. In furtherance of the commercial sex trafficking enterprise, Howard sent various text messages to the other four residents and to customers directing some of the criminal activities. She also set the prices of the commercial sex acts. With some of the proceeds, Howard purchased illegal drugs for herself and the two victims. For over a month, the two victims’ commercial sex income was the sole source of support for all the residents in the apartment. Lockley and Shannon were previously sentenced for their involvement in the sex trafficking crimes.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Montgomery Police Department, and the Alabama Attorney General’s Office investigated this case, with assistance from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section. Assistant United States Attorneys J. Patrick Lamb and Tara S. Ratz for the Middle District of Alabama, and Assistant Attorney General Audrey Jordan of the Alabama Attorney General’s Office prosecuted the case.
Modesto Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Child Sexual Exploitation ConvictionsRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Michael Brace, 33, of Modesto, was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for two counts of receipt and distribution of material involving the exploitation of minors, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. The prison sentence is to be followed by 10 years of supervised release during which Brace’s access to computers, the internet, and minors will be restricted.
According to court documents, between Aug. 7, 2020, and Jan. 4, 2021, Brace knowingly received visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, including images of prepubescent minors and violence being inflicted on victims. Brace also communicated with an undercover law enforcement officer posing as a 13-year-old female on the social media platform Skout and traveled to Fresno with the belief that he would engage in sexual activity with the purported minor.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Central Valley Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, specifically the Fresno and Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Offices, and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Gappa prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
Minneapolis Felon Pleads Guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute FentanylRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Minneapolis man has pleaded guilty to possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
According to court documents, on January 24, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at the South Minneapolis residence of Andre Garner, 42, and recovered almost 800 grams of fentanyl in a van registered to Garner. During their search, law enforcement also recovered over 1,000 grams of cocaine, two firearms, and $9,400 in cash. As a part of his guilty plea, Garner admitted that he told law enforcement that anything law enforcement found was his, including the money and the van.
Garner pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court before Judge Jerry W. Blackwell to one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Hennepin County Violent Offender Task Force and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Hillary A. Taylor is prosecuting the case.
Mexican National Sentenced to More Than 9 Years in Prison for Smuggling Migrants and Drugs on Panga Boat that Landed on Central CoastRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Mexican man was sentenced today to 110 months in federal prison for trafficking 11 undocumented individuals, as well as 45 pounds of methamphetamine, on a panga boat that landed on a Santa Barbara County beach.
Jorge Muñoz-Muñoz, 27, of Ensenada, Mexico, was sentenced by United States District Judge Dale S. Fischer.
At the conclusion of a five-day trial in December 2022, a federal jury found Muñoz-Muñoz guilty of one count of conspiracy to bring aliens into the United States, 11 counts of alien smuggling, 11 counts of alien smuggling for private financial gain, one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of conspiracy to import methamphetamine, and one count of importation of methamphetamine.
On the morning of September 27, 2021, law enforcement sighted a panga boat adrift off the coast of Santa Barbara County. The vessel, which was having engine trouble, ultimately made landfall at Arroyo Quemada Beach, approximately 25 miles west of Santa Barbara.
The investigation in this matter revealed that there were 15 people on the boat, including several crewmembers. Two black bags that contained a total of 40 vacuum-sealed and plastic wrapped bindles, totaling approximately 45 pounds, were thrown off the boat by passengers at Muñoz-Muñoz’s direction and later were recovered by law enforcement.
Authorities also later confirmed that all occupants of the boat were undocumented aliens. Based on interviews with the passengers, it was determined that the passengers arrived at a beach in Ensenada, Mexico to board a panga that would smuggle them into the United States for a price of approximately $15,000 each.
On July 6, Judge Fischer ordered Muñoz-Muñoz acquitted of one count of aiding and assisting an alien convicted of an aggravated felony to enter the United States.
Muñoz-Muñoz has been in federal custody since his arrest in September 2021.
Roel Aranzubia-Álvarez, 45, of Sinaloa, Mexico, the panga boat’s captain, was convicted at trial with Muñoz-Muñoz of alien smuggling charges in this case and was sentenced to five years in federal prison.
Another defendant and panga boat crewmember, Caín Camargo-López, 46, of Sinaloa, Mexico, pleaded guilty in April 2022 to two counts of alien smuggling and one count of conspiring to allow an alien convicted to aggravated felonies to enter the United States. On August 7, Judge Fischer sentenced Camargo-López to five years in federal prison.
Homeland Security Investigations investigated this matter. United States Customs and Border Protection, the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office, and the California Department of Parks and Recreation provided substantial assistance.
Assistant United States Attorney Haoxiaohan Cai of the General Crimes Section and Justice Department Trial Attorney Siobhan M. Namazi prosecuted this case.
Manvel resident charged for creating fake businesses to obtain COVID-19 fundsRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 38-year-old man has been indicted for wire fraud and money laundering, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Authorities arrested Antonio Jackson Jr. this morning. He is expected to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Yvonne Y. Ho at 2 p.m.
The indictment, returned Dec. 12, alleges Jackson fraudulently obtained approximately $492,611 in funds through the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Payroll Protection Program and Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program.
According to the indictment, Jackson submitted false information and documents to the SBA to fraudulently obtain COVID-19 related loans. In his loan applications, Jackson allegedly claimed to be the owner and operator of multiple businesses with dozens of employees and millions in revenue and payroll expenses.
The charges allege the businesses were fictional. Jackson is alleged to have submitted fabricated payroll records, profit and loss statements as well as tax records to induce the SBA to approve the loans.
Jackson allegedly used the fraudulently obtained funds to purchase luxury retail goods, exotic trips and luxury vehicles.
Jackson is charged with four counts of wire fraud and four counts of money laundering. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
The SBA - Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Swartz is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Man Sentenced for Role in $105M Veterans Affairs Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A California man was sentenced today to one year and a day in prison for his role in defrauding the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Post-9/11 GI Bill education benefit program.
According to court documents, Philip Abod, 57, of Calimesa, was a school certifying official at a school that offered VA-approved technical training programs to military veterans. Abod and his co-conspirators made false and fraudulent representations to the VA regarding, among other things, veterans’ enrollment in approved courses of study and class attendance. Abod and his co-conspirators also falsified course completion records to make it appear as if enrolled veterans completed their programs, when in fact, they had not. To conceal their scheme, Abod and his co-conspirators falsified veterans’ contact information by substituting phone numbers that Abod and his co-conspirators controlled to ensure that regulators could not contact the veterans. When regulators called the falsified phone numbers to obtain information about the school, Abod and his co-conspirators impersonated students.
From January 2012 through June 2022, the school fraudulently obtained more than $32 million in tuition payments from the VA. During the same period, the VA paid more than $72 million in education-related government benefits to veterans enrolled in VA-approved courses. In total, Abod’s and his co-conspirators’ scheme to defraud the VA resulted in a total loss of nearly $105 million in government funds.
Abod was also ordered to pay $3.4 million in restitution to the VA.
For their roles in the scheme, co-conspirator Michael Bostock, 54, of Nampa, Idaho, was sentenced to five years in prison on June 26, and co-conspirator Eric Bostock, 48, of Riverside, California, was sentenced to one year and a day in prison on Nov. 29.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and VA Inspector General Michael J. Missal made the announcement.
The VA Office of Inspector General investigated the case, with assistance from the Veterans Benefits Administration-Education Service.
Trial Attorney Lauren Archer of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case.
Man Involved in Hartford Drug Deal That Resulted in Shooting Sentenced to 42 Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that THOMAS AQUILES, Jr., 37, formerly of New Britain, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 42 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for a heroin trafficking offense.
According to court documents and statements made in court, at approximately 10:00 p.m. on December 21, 2016, Hartford Police officers responded to a report of a person shot at a car wash located at 156 Franklin Avenue in Hartford. At the car wash, officers encountered an employee of the car wash who was suffering from two gunshot wounds. The victim was transported to the hospital where he was treated for his injuries,
The investigation, which included analysis of a surveillance video, revealed that Hector Alfonso arrived at the car wash shortly before the shooting to conduct a heroin transaction with Aquiles and Ruben Rodriguez. Alfonso and Rodriguez were both armed with handguns. A dispute and subsequent struggle between Alfonso and Aquiles occurred during the transaction, and Alfonso shot the employee as he attempted to run from the car wash.
Alfonso was arrested on a federal criminal complaint on May 10, 2017. A search of his Manchester residence on that date revealed cocaine residue on a toilet seat, cocaine, and crack cocaine residue in another part of home, and items used to process and package narcotics for street sale. Alfonso pleaded guilty to drug and firearm offenses and, on March 22, 2019, he was sentenced to 153 months of imprisonment for both offenses, and for violating the conditions of his supervised release from a prior federal conviction.
Rodriguez was arrested on September 27, 2017. On that date, a search of his Meriden residence and vehicle revealed a loaded .40 caliber pistol, numerous rounds of ammunition, approximately 133 grams of heroin, approximately 170 grams of cocaine, and $61,909 in cash. Rodriguez pleaded guilty to drug and firearm offenses and, on March 21, 2019, was sentenced to 72 months of imprisonment.
Aquiles, who was on state parole with the state of Connecticut in December 2016, absconded in January 2018 and remained a fugitive until he was arrested in New York in August 2022. On April 18, 2023, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin. He is currently detained in state custody.
This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Hartford Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shan Patel and Trial Attorney Brian P. Leaming of the Justice Department’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Lubbock Woman Sentenced to 30 Months in Federal Prison for Concealing PPP Loan FraudRead the Press Release
Lubbock woman was sentenced Thursday to 30 months in federal prison for concealing PPP Loan Fraud, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Hope Leticia Hastey, 51, was charged via criminal information in August 2023 and pleaded guilty to one count of misprision of a felony. Ms. Hastey was sentenced Thursday by U.S. District Judge James Wesley Hendrix, who ordered her to pay $3,545,894.36 in restitution.
According to plea documents, Ms. Hastey founded Radar Supports, LLC, a company that provided certain contract services, including speech and occupational therapy and Radar Foundations, Inc., a non-profit that organized community fundraisers to benefit individuals with intellectual limitations. Radar Supports employed approximately 10 individuals and Radar Foundations did not employ anyone.
In May 2020, an assumed name certificate was filed for “Radar Supports Construction,” indicating Ms. Hastey as the owner. Radar Supports Construction never provided goods or services of any kind and never filed a tax return.
Ms. Hastey employed Andrew Travis Johnson, 59, —an accomplice in a separate case—to provide bookkeeping services for her business. During the Covid-10 pandemic, Mr. Johnson engaged in a bank fraud scheme to obtain loans for Radar Supports, Radar Supports Construction, and Radar Foundations through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). He obtained the loans by falsely inflating payroll data related to Radar Supports and Radar Foundations and fabricating payroll data for Radar Supports Construction.
Ms. Hastey signed the loan documents, which included certifications that the loan proceeds would be used for payroll costs and other business-related expenditures. Hastey failed to notify authorities of the fraud. Instead, to make it appear as though the loan proceeds were used for payroll costs, Hastey wrote a check to a colleague who worked for Radar Supports. The check was not intended for the colleague and was never given to the individual. Ms. Hastey deposited the check into another bank account she controlled.
In total, Ms. Hastey and Mr. Johnson applied for five PPP loans and received nearly $3.5 million. Ms. Hastey spent the money on personal expenses, including heavy equipment to help family members start a new business; a cash purchase of a new home; home renovations; multiple vehicles; vacations; clothing; cosmetic and dental procedures; college tuition; and expenses for a wedding. All five loans were forgiven.
According to court documents in Mr. Johnson’s case, he pleaded guilty to three counts of bank fraud, one count of identity theft and one count of engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from specified unlawful activity in March 2023. He was sentenced in August 2023 to 180 months in federal prison.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation Division, and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ann Howey prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Saurabh Sharad handled the forfeiture.
Lincoln Man Sentenced for Firearms Possession and ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Josef D. Barraza, 25, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced December 18, 2023, in federal court in Lincoln for firearms conspiracy and possession of a weapon in furtherance of drug trafficking. United States Senior District Court Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Barraza to 204 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Barraza’s release from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release.
Josef D. Barraza was prohibited from purchasing firearms in the State of Nebraska because of previous drug and firearms convictions. Due to his inability to purchase firearms, he made an agreement with his co-defendant Rachel Pageler to purchase firearms for him. Barraza would then illegally transfer and sell these firearms to other third parties.
In November of 2020, investigators executed a series of search and arrest warrants for members of the No Names Demon gang in Lincoln, Nebraska. On that same day, Pageler reported to police that some weapons had been stolen, when in fact, at Barraza’s direction, the weapons were transferred or sold to gang members. Those weapons were used by members of the gang in robberies and rival gang shootings and threats.
Upon his arrest in June 2021, investigators with the Lincoln Police Department went to the shared residence of Barraza and Pageler. Investigators seized firearms, including multiple Glock handguns and ammunition, one with an extended clip that was loaded and controlled substances, including methamphetamine and marijuana. Investigators also recovered $1,200 in United States currency from Barraza, who was unemployed. Pageler is set to be sentenced for her role in the crimes in February 2024.
This case was brought as part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a comprehensive national strategy that creates local partnerships with law enforcement agencies to effectively enforce existing gun laws. It provides more options to prosecutors, allowing them to utilize local, state, and federal laws to ensure that criminals who commit gun crime face tough sentences. PSN gives each federal district the flexibility it needs to focus on individual challenges that a specific community faces.
This case was investigated by the Lincoln Police Department.
Leader of Multiple “Pump and Dump” Securities Fraud Schemes Sentenced to 30 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that EARL INGARFIELD was sentenced to 30 months in prison for orchestrating multiple “pump and dump” stock fraud schemes designed to target retail investors and manipulate trading in penny stock shares, including a scheme to manipulate the shares of Suburban Minerals Corporation (“SUBB”) from which INGARFIELD made more than $1.4 million. INGARFIELD previously pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Jed S. Rakoff, who imposed today’s sentence.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Earl Ingarfield engaged in a classic pump and dump scheme that victimized innocent investors and undermined the integrity of our public markets. Those who defraud investors by spreading false and misleading information for their own monetary gain will face stiff punishment for their crimes.”
According to the Indictment, public filings, and statements made in court:
From at least 2013 through March 2014, EARL INGARFIELD was the leader of multiple schemes to manipulate the stock of penny stocks, including the price of SUBB, a public company traded on the over-the-counter (“OTC”) market. In or about 2013, INGARFIELD obtained control of SUBB, installing management at the company that acted at his direction and financing SUBB’s operations. INGARFIELD also obtained convertible promissory notes issued by SUBB, which he then converted into tens of millions of SUBB shares that were nominally held by offshore shell entities. INGARFIELD used these shell entities to conceal his involvement and the fact that he owned and controlled the vast majority of the shares of SUBB.
In early 2014, at INGARFIELD’s direction, SUBB announced that it was purportedly acquiring a producing African diamond mine worth $5 billion. But in reality, no such mine existed. Between January 2014 and March 2014, SUBB issued a series of press releases making false representations regarding that purported mine acquisition and SUBB’s operations. During the same time period, INGARFIELD orchestrated a marketing campaign through which promotional materials echoing the same false claims were distributed to the investing public by email. The false and misleading press releases and email marketing campaign caused SUBB’s share price and trading volume to become artificially inflated.
While SUBB’s price was artificially inflated, INGARFIELD profited by selling millions of his secretly amassed shares, all at the expense of the investing public. Between January and March 2014, he made more than $1.4 million from the sale of SUBB shares.
On March 7, 2014, the Securities and Exchange Commission halted trading in SUBB, after which the share price dropped precipitously and never recovered.
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In addition to his prison term, EARL INGARFIELD, 64, of Las Vegas, Nevada, was sentenced to two years of supervised release and ordered to pay restitution of $1,804,738 and forfeiture of $1,418,473.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of Homeland Security Investigation’s El Dorado Task Force.
The matter is being handled by the Money Laundering and Transnational Criminal Enterprises Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emily Deininger, Shiva Logarajah, and Tara La Morte are in charge of the prosecution.
Lake County Man Arrested for Possessing A Firearm as A Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the arrest of Tyran Terrell Harris (23, Leesburg) on an indictment charging him with possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. If convicted, Harris faces up to 15 years in federal prison. A federal grand jury had indicted Harris on December 12, 2023.
According to court documents, Harris has multiple prior state felony convictions including grand theft, tampering with a witness, and grand theft auto. On September 25, 2023, officers from the Leesburg Police Department observed Harris walking around an apartment complex with a loaded firearm. Knowing Harris was a convicted felon, the officers arrested him and took possession of the firearm. A record check showed that the firearm had been reported stolen approximately two weeks earlier. Harris subsequently admitted that he knew he could not possess the firearm as a convicted felon.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Leesburg Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Kenai woman sentenced to prison for bankruptcy fraudRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A Kenai woman was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison for making a materially false statement in a bankruptcy case.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Saray Consuelo Sarmiento Angarita Lockwood, 58, ran a successful dental clinic in Kenai with her late husband. In April 2019, Lockwood and her husband filed for bankruptcy. During the bankruptcy proceeding, Lockwood made false statements under penalty of perjury about an entity they owned called Strategic Innovations LLC.
In October 2015, Lockwood and her husband opened two bank accounts in the name of Strategic Innovations LLC, the initial deposits for which were checks drawn on Lockwood’s husband’s retirement and investment accounts. Lockwood and her husband were the sole signatories on the bank accounts, and from 2015 through at least 2019, Lockwood performed most of the deposits and withdrawals into and from the accounts.
In May 2021, in connection with their bankruptcy, Lockwood and her husband responded to questions posed by the U.S. Trustee. On one question, Lockwood falsely claimed that family members had loaned Strategic Innovations LLC money to purchase at least four properties seized and auctioned off by the IRS as part of its efforts to collect the Lockwoods’ outstanding federal income tax liabilities.
In addition to the term of imprisonment, U.S. District Judge Joshua M. Kindred ordered Lockwood to serve three years of supervised release. When Judge Kindred delivered his sentence, he cited general deterrence as a factor in his sentencing decision, explaining that white collar criminals should not be treated differently from other criminals who differ in socioeconomic status. He stated that “criminal conduct is criminal conduct," and it should result in proper sanctions.
United States Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska and Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.
"For over 10 years, Ms. Lockwood executed calculated efforts to evade millions in tax payments and filed false statements in bankruptcy court to perpetuate the scheme. She took advantage of the system and disregarded all warnings given by federal agents,” said U.S. Attorney Tucker. “White collar criminals, like Ms. Lockwood, that evade taxes and file false statements to avoid their debts harm law abiding citizens. Absolutely no one is above the law, and my office will ensure that anyone who chooses to commit fraud will be aggressively prosecuted and held accountable for the damage they cause.”
“Ms. Lockwood was sentenced on a single count of bankruptcy fraud, yet all of her actions served the sole purpose of evading millions in taxes. This is not a victimless crime. The victims of tax evasion are you, me, and all the taxpayers in Alaska,” said IRS Criminal Investigation Seattle Field Office Special Agent in Charge Adam Jobes. “IRS-CI, in partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, will continue to investigate false claims in bankruptcy court and tax evasion, to foster confidence in these systems for the American people.”
IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael J. Heyman and Tom Bradley, and Trial Attorney Ahmed Almudallal of the Justice Department’s Tax Division Western Criminal Enforcement Section prosecuted the case.
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Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission Release 2023 Merger GuidelinesRead the Press Release
Today, the Justice Department and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) jointly issued the 2023 Merger Guidelines, which describe factors and frameworks the agencies utilize when reviewing mergers and acquisitions. The 2023 Merger Guidelines are the culmination of a nearly two-year process of public engagement and reflect modern market realities, advances in economics and law, and the lived experiences of a diverse array of market participants.
“These finalized Guidelines provide transparency into how the Justice Department is protecting the American people from the ways in which unlawful, anticompetitive practices manifest themselves in our modern economy,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Since releasing the Draft Merger Guidelines earlier this summer, we have engaged with stakeholders across the country, and the Guidelines are stronger as a result. The Justice Department will continue to vigorously enforce the laws that safeguard competition and protect all Americans.”
“The Guidelines we release today are faithful to the law and reflect how competition plays out in our modern markets,” said Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter of the Justice Department's Antitrust Division. “Ensuring that our merger enforcement protects that competition is our North Star. Competitive markets and economic opportunity for all Americans go hand in hand. We were grateful to hear from authors, nurses, farmers, and other concerned citizens from across the country as we worked to put together the 2023 Merger Guidelines. Their comments were invaluable — and our merger enforcement will be better as a result.”
“Fair, open, competitive markets have been essential to America’s dynamic, thriving economy, and policing unlawful mergers is our front line of defense against harmful corporate consolidation,” said FTC Chair Lina M. Khan. “The 2023 Merger Guidelines reflect the new realities of how firms do business in the modern economy and ensure fidelity to statutory text and precedent. I am grateful for the thousands of comments submitted by American workers, consumers, entrepreneurs, farmers, business owners, and other members of the public. This input directly informed the guidelines and allowed us to pursue this work with a deeper understanding of the real-life stakes of merger enforcement.”
The 2023 Merger Guidelines released today modify the Draft Merger Guidelines, released on July 19, to address comments from the public, including extensive engagement from attorneys, economists, academics, enforcers, and other policymakers at the agencies’ three Merger Guidelines Workshops. They emphasize the dynamic and complex nature of competition ranging from price competition to competition for the terms and conditions of employment, to platform competition. This approach enables the agencies to assess the commercial realities of the United States’ modern economy when making enforcement decisions and ensures that merger enforcement protects competition in all its forms.
The agencies protect competition through enforcement of the antitrust laws and other federal competition statutes. Since 1968, the agencies have issued merger guidelines to enhance transparency and promote awareness of how the agencies undertake merger analysis before deciding whether or not to challenge an acquisition. Over the years, the agencies have worked collaboratively to update the Merger Guidelines periodically to reflect changes in the law and market realities, including in 1982, 1984, 1992, 1997, 2010, and 2020.
The robust process to develop the 2023 Merger Guidelines began in January 2022. The agencies announced an initiative to evaluate possible revisions to the 2010 Horizontal Merger Guidelines and the 2020 Vertical Merger Guidelines and published a Request for Information on Merger Enforcement, which sought public comment on modernizing merger enforcement. The agencies received more than 5,000 comments. Commenters highlighted excessive market consolidation across industries and overwhelmingly urged the agencies to strengthen their approach to merger enforcement. At the agencies’ four listening sessions, business owners, workers, and other advocates similarly highlighted the potential for mergers and acquisitions to undermine open, vibrant, and competitive markets, in industries ranging from food and agriculture to health care.
Informed by this feedback, agency experience and expertise, as well as developments in the market, law, and economics, the agencies drafted and jointly released a proposed version of the 2023 Merger Guidelines for public comment in July 2023 and received more than 30,000 comments reflecting the views of consumers, workers, academics, interest organizations, attorneys, enforcers, and many others across various sectors of the American economy. The agencies also held three Merger Guidelines Workshops to discuss the draft Merger Guidelines. This engagement informed an in-depth revision process culminating in today’s release of the 2023 Merger Guidelines.
Like the prior horizontal and vertical merger guidelines they replace, the 2023 Merger Guidelines are not themselves legally binding, but provide transparency into the agencies’ decision-making process.
The 2023 Merger Guidelines do not predetermine enforcement action by the agencies. Although the Merger Guidelines identify the factors and frameworks the agencies consider when investigating mergers, the agencies’ enforcement decisions will necessarily depend on the facts in any case and will continue to require prosecutorial discretion and judgment.
Justice Department Launches National Law Enforcement Accountability DatabaseRead the Press Release
As directed by Executive Order 14074, Advancing Effective, Accountable Policing and Criminal Justice Practices to Enhance Public Trust and Public Safety, the Justice Department today launched the National Law Enforcement Accountability Database (NLEAD), a centralized repository of official records documenting instances of misconduct as well as commendations and awards for federal law enforcement officers. The NLEAD is accessible only to authorized users to help determine suitability and eligibility of candidates for law enforcement positions. As required by the Executive Order, on an annual basis, the Justice Department’s Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) will publish a public report containing aggregated and anonymized data to maintain transparency and accountability.
“No law enforcement agency — including the Justice Department — can effectively do its work without the trust of the public,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “This database will give our law enforcement agencies an important new tool for vetting and hiring officers and agents that will help strengthen our efforts to build and retain that trust.”
“This database will make policing safer and more effective by strengthening trust between law enforcement officers and the communities they serve,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “The Justice Department and law enforcement agencies throughout the federal government are committed to ensuring that the database strengthens hiring practices while protecting the safety, due process rights, and privacy of law enforcement officers.”
“The NLEAD will help ensure that federal hiring officials have the most accurate and important information when making hiring decisions,” said Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta. “This database, along with our work to expand access to this information at the state and local level, is a significant step forward in increasing transparency and accountability, and in enhancing police-community trust.”
The NLEAD connects all federal law enforcement agencies under one accountability infrastructure. With the NLEAD, law enforcement agency hiring personnel will have more accurate and complete information about misconduct in a job candidate’s past. Agencies can then make more informed hiring decisions, which enhances both accountability and public safety.
As of today, the database includes records for the Department’s law enforcement officers. Pursuant to the Executive Order, by Feb. 16, 2024, other executive branch federal law enforcement agencies will report data for their law enforcement officers to the database. The database will include records of instances of misconduct for current and former federal law enforcement officers that occurred over the past seven years, and the Department will conduct regular periodic compliance reviews to assess data quality. In order to support similar law enforcement officer accountability efforts at the state and local level, the Department has also partnered with the International Association of Directors of Law Enforcement Standards and Training (IADLEST). IADLEST’s National Decertification Index (NDI) is a national registry of law enforcement de-certification and revocation actions relating to officer misconduct that is currently used by all 50 states and D.C. The Department is working with IADLEST to expand the NDI to include additional categories of information required by the Executive Order. The Department is also awarding discretionary grants in a manner that supports and promotes the adoption of the Executive Order’s policies by state and local agencies, including language outlining priority consideration for applicants who use the NDI as part of their hiring and vetting of new officers.
As part of the Justice Department’s ongoing work to improve public safety and advance accountability in law enforcement, the Department has contributed to more than 90 Executive Order steps, including issuing 18 reports and guidance documents, which can be found on the Office of Legal Policy’s webpage. More information can be found on the NLEAD website.
Joint Statement from the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security Assessing the Impact of Foreign Interference During the 2022 U.S. Mid-Term ElectionRead the Press Release
Note: View a copy of the report here.The Department of Justice, including the FBI, and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), including the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), released today a report with key findings and recommendations from a classified joint report to the President issued earlier this year on addressing the impact of foreign governments and their agents on the security and integrity of the infrastructure relied upon in the 2022 U.S. federal elections. The declassified report is consistent with CISA’s November 2022 statement on the security of the 2022 mid-term election and reaffirms that the departments found no evidence that any foreign government-affiliated actor compromised the security or integrity of any election infrastructure.
The report was developed pursuant to section 1(b) of Executive Order 13848, Imposing Certain Sanctions in the Event of Foreign Influence in a United States Election (the E.O.), issued on September 12, 2018, and relies upon a classified assessment of the 2022 federal election that was prepared by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), pursuant to section 1(a) of the E.O. The Departments of Justice and Homeland Security release of the declassified 1(b) report follows ODNI’s release of a declassified version of the 1(a) report on Dec. 18, 2023. The section 1(a) report, as required by the E.O., assesses information indicating that a foreign government, or any person acting as an agent of or on behalf of a foreign government, has acted with the intent or purpose of interfering in the 2022 U.S. federal election, but it does not assess the impact of any such efforts on the outcome of the election. In contrast, the section 1(b) report analyzes the extent to which foreign interference targeting election infrastructure or infrastructure of, or pertaining to, political organizations, candidates, or campaigns, materially affected the security or integrity of that infrastructure, the tabulation of votes, or the timely transmission of election results. The section 1(b) report does not address the impact of efforts to sway voters or influence opinion.
While the government detected some foreign government-affiliated and criminal cyber activity targeting election infrastructure, including activity by suspected People’s Republic of China cyber actors and activity claimed by pro-Russian hacktivists, there is no evidence that this activity prevented voting, changed votes, or disrupted the ability to tally votes or to transmit election results in a timely manner; altered any technical aspect of the voting process; or otherwise compromised the integrity of voter registration information or any ballots cast during the 2022 federal elections.
Additional identified activity involved Russian, Iranian, and Chinese government-affiliated cyber actors scanning and, in some instances, accessing political campaign infrastructure, that is, information and communications technology and systems used by, on behalf of, or closely associated with a political organization, campaign, or candidate. However, there is no evidence that any information obtained through such activity was used in any foreign influence operation or was otherwise deployed, modified, or destroyed.
During the 2022 Federal election cycle, federal, state, local, and territorial governments, as well as private sector partners, worked together to improve cybersecurity, partnerships, and public messaging that enhanced the security and resilience of election infrastructure. The section 1(b) report includes recommendations to continue such efforts throughout the 2024 Federal election cycle.
The Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security remain committed to continuously strengthening the nation’s cybersecurity, critical infrastructure, supply chain risk management, public-private partnerships, and election literacy to enhance the resiliency of our democratic institutions ahead of the 2024 Federal election cycle.
Illegal Possession of Firearm and Later Possession of Ammunition Land Felon in Federal Prison for 25 YearsRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – Last week, CAMERON WATKINS, 31, of Oklahoma City, was sentenced to serve 25 years in federal prison for illegal possession of a firearm in October 2021 and illegal possession of ammunition in July 2022, after a previous felony conviction, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
On December 19, 2022, a federal grand jury returned a two-count Superseding Indictment against Watkins, charging him with illegal possession of a firearm, and separately with illegal possession of ammunition, after a previous felony conviction.
According to court documents, Watkins was found to be in possession of a loaded handgun with an extended magazine during an interaction with Oklahoma City Police officers on October 7, 2021, where he barricaded himself in a hotel room. Further, according to court records, Watkins is a known gang member, and was directly involved in a violent conflict between rival gangs beginning in the summer of 2022. Public documents allege Watkins was present for at least three shootings during the conflict. According to witness testimony at a federal jury trial, Watkins shot and killed a metro man on July 20, 2022.
On April 10, 2023, Watkins pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm in October 2021. On April 14, 2023, a federal jury returned a guilty verdict against Watkins for being a felon in possession of ammunition in July 2022.
Public records further reflect that Watkins holds multiple prior felony convictions, including possession of phencyclidine, a controlled substance, in Oklahoma County District Court Case No. CF-2011-6648, and trafficking illegal drugs – cocaine base, possession of an offensive weapon while committing a felony, and concealing stolen property in Oklahoma County District Court Case No. CF-2012-6406.
At the sentencing hearing last week, U.S. District Judge David L. Russell sentenced Watkins to serve the statutory maximum of 25 years in federal prison. In announcing the sentence, Judge Russell noted the jury’s verdict directly implicating Watkins in the murder and stressed the need to protect the public.
This case is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Oklahoma City Police Department, and the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jacquelyn M. Hutzell, David M. McCrary, and Mary E. Walters prosecuted the case.
This case is also part of “Operation Shots Fired.” Operation Shots Fired targets cases involving individuals who discharge firearms as part of their criminal activity, such as drive-by shootings or when shots are fired during robberies, domestic disputes, or other incidents. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://justice.gov/psn and https://justice.gov/usao-wdok.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information
Illegal Firearms Possession Lands Metro Felon in Federal Prison for More Than 12 YearsRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – Last Week, DARRICK LAMONT SMITH, also known as William Louis McCollum, 48, of Oklahoma City, was sentenced to serve 150 months in federal prison for illegally possessing firearms after previous felony convictions, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
On October 19, 2022, a federal grand jury returned a four-count Superseding Indictment against Smith, charging him with three counts of being a felon in possession of firearms and one count of possession of an unregistered silencer. According to the Superseding Indictment, on separate occasions in January 2022, Smith possessed a total of six firearms and an unregistered silencer. Several of the firearms were found to have been previously stolen and Smith also possessed multiple high-capacity magazines, including a 50-round drum.
On February 23, 2023, Smith pleaded guilty to two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm. As part of his plea, Smith admitted that he possessed firearms despite his criminal record.
At the sentencing hearing on December 13, 2023, U.S. District Judge Charles B. Goodwin sentenced Smith to serve 150 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. In announcing his sentence, the Court noted Smith’s demonstrated willingness to commit violence, further articulating a need to protect the public and deter continued criminal activity. The Court also noted Smith’s lengthy history of drug and firearm offenses.
Public records reflect that Smith has multiple felony convictions, including possession of cocaine base with intent to distribute in Oklahoma County District Court case number CF-1992-6772; assault and battery with a dangerous weapon in Oklahoma County District Court case number CF-1999-3338; aggravated robbery in Wichita County, Texas, District Court case number CF-2000-6087; and possession of a firearm after felony conviction and possession of a controlled dangerous substance in Oklahoma County District Court case number CF-2014-1776.
This case is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Oklahoma City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Danielle M. Connolly prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a Department of Justice program to reduce violent crime. In October 2017, the Department announced the reinvigoration of Project Safe Neighborhoods and directed U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop crime-reduction strategies that incorporate lessons federal law enforcement has learned since the program’s launch in 2001. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://justice.gov/psn and https://justice.gov/usao-wdok.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
Ideal Man Sentenced for Sexual Abuse of a MinorRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced an Ideal, South Dakota, man convicted of Sexual Abuse of a Minor. The sentencing took place on December 11, 2023.
Braeden McLean, age 21, was sentenced to all time served through January 17, 2024, equal to approximately 10 months in custody, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
McLean was indicted by a federal grand jury in May of 2023. He pleaded guilty on September 14, 2023.
The conviction stems from conduct that occurred in March of 2023 in Tripp County, South Dakota, wherein McLean engaged in a sexual relationship with a 14-year-old girl. The girl’s family subsequently became aware of the relationship and reported McLean to the Winner Police Department.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services and the Winner Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
McLean was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Huntington Woman Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Valerie June Damron, 63, of Huntington, was sentenced today to seven years and three months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of a quantity of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 11, 2022, Damron sold approximately 1 ounce of methamphetamine to a confidential informant at her Seventh Avenue residence. Damron admitted to that transaction and to selling quantities of methamphetamine totaling approximately 69 grams on three occasions between October 14 and October 19, 2022. Damron further admitted that the quantities of fentanyl were mixed in with the methamphetamine sold in two of those additional transactions.
On October 20, 2022, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Damron’s residence and seized approximately 122 grams of methamphetamine, 20.5 grams of fentanyl and multiple firearms including a Davis Industries .22-caliber pistol, a Smith & Wesson 9mm pistol, and a FT 9mm pistol. Damron admitted that she intended to distribute the controlled substances.
On February 2, 2023, investigators arrested Damron at her residence and seized approximately 211 grams of methamphetamine, 3.5 grams of fentanyl and a Kel-Tex .380-caliber pistol. Damron told the investigators that she had been previously supplied with 2 to 3 pounds of methamphetamine on multiple occasions by another individual.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph F. Adams and Stephanie Taylor prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:23-cr-19.
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Huntington Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Federal Gun Crime and Violating Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Thomas Ray III, 54, of Huntington, was sentenced today to 12 years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm and violating his supervised release.
A federal jury found Ray guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm on July 12, 2023, following a two-day trial. Evidence at trial showed that on October 23, 2020, Ray possessed a firearm that he discharged multiple times, including at law enforcement officers, during and after a domestic disturbance in the area of 17th Street and Artisan Avenue in Huntington.
Ray had arrived at an Artisan Avenue residence where he struck two women, brandished a firearm, pointed it at the forehead of a third woman and fired two rounds into the air. Officers responding to the resulting 911 calls located Ray in an alley several blocks from Artisan Avenue. Ray fired a round at one officer and continued to flee. Ray fired several more shots at officers while fleeing before they returned fire and wounded him in the leg.
Ray was still holding the firearm while on the ground and resisted being placed into custody. Officers recovered the firearm, a loaded Smith & Wesson Model M&P Shield .40-caliber pistol, after Ray tossed it to the ground. Officers also found .40-caliber ammunition and a Harrington and Richardson revolver in Ray’s pants pockets.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Ray knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for Forcible Detention/Armed and Give False Bomb/Gas Alarm in Will County, Illinois, Circuit Court on February 28, 2012, and for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on December 9, 2013.
At the time of this offense, Ray was serving a term of federal supervised release for the 2013 conviction. Today’s prison sentence includes two years for committing a crime while on supervised release.
“Mr. Ray has a significant criminal history and his actions in this case threatened law enforcement officers and other individuals with a substantial risk of serious harm,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “Today’s sentence is warranted and appropriate.”
Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Huntington Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph F. Adams and Stephanie Taylor prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:21-cr-57.
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Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Federal CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Thomas Donnell Shaw, 30, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 4, 2021, Shaw was a passenger in a vehicle stopped by a law enforcement officer. The traffic stop resulted in a search of the vehicle, and officers found a FNH model FNS-40 .40-caliber pistol and a quantity of methamphetamine. Shaw admitted that he possessed the methamphetamine with the intent of distributing it within the Southern District of West Virginia. Shaw further admitted that he possessed the firearm in part to protect himself, the drugs and his drug proceeds.
Shaw is scheduled to be sentenced on April 1, 2024, and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to life in prison, five years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Huntington Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys J.C. MacCallum and Ryan A. Keefe are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:23-cr-194.
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Houston Woman Sentenced to 4 Months of Probation for Cares Act Fraud and Theft of Government FundsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that TEMIKA SANTEMORE, age 44, a resident of Houston, Texas, was sentenced on December 12, 2023 to four months of probation by U.S. District Court Judge Jay C. Zainey after previously pleading guilty to making false statements and theft of government funds related to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act).
The CARES Act is a federal law enacted on March 29, 2020, to provide emergency financial assistance in connection with economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act was the authorization of up to $349 billion in forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses, through the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”). In April 2020, Congress authorized over $300 billion in additional PPP funding.
The PPP allows qualifying small businesses and other organizations to receive loans with a maturity of two years and an interest rate of 1%. PPP loan proceeds must be used by businesses on payroll costs, interest on mortgages, rent, and utilities. The PPP allows the interest and principal on the PPP loan to be forgiven if the business spends the loan proceeds on these expense items within a designated period of time after receiving the proceeds and uses at least a certain percentage of the PPP loan proceeds on payroll expenses.
In addition, the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (“EIDL”) program was a U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) program that provided low-interest financing to small businesses, renters, and homeowners in regions affected by declared disasters. The CARES Act provided funding for EIDL loans for business affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. In contrast to the PPP, EIDL loan amounts were determined based on the recipient businesses’ historical revenue and disbursed directly to the recipient by the SBA.
According to the charging documents, SANTEMORE made false statements to the SBA to fraudulently obtain approximately $13,540 in pandemic-related relief loans, including PPP funds, that were funded by the federal government. SANTEMORE also applied for an EIDL from the SBA in July of 2020 and illegally received $5,000 for a dormant business that she owned.
In addition to probation, SANTMORE was ordered to pay a $200 mandatory special assessment, serve 150 hours of community service and pay restitution in the amount of $187,027.86.
For more information on the Department of Justice’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Amtrak Office of Inspector General – Criminal Investigations, the Department of Labor – Office of the Inspector General, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward J. Rivera of the Financial Crime Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
Holdenville Resident Sentenced for Federal Firearms CrimeRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Kotah Ray Armstrong, age 30, of Holdenville, Oklahoma, was sentenced to twelve months in prison for one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Oklahoma Department of Corrections Office of Probation and Parole.
On November 10, 2022, Armstrong pleaded guilty to one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm. On April 7, 2022, during a home visitation by Oklahoma DOC Probation and Parole officers, Armstrong was discovered to be in possession of a 12-gauge pump action shotgun. Armstrong admitted to possessing the shotgun despite knowing he was prohibited from possessing firearms as a convicted felon.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearings in Muskogee. Armstrong will remain in custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Satter represented the United States.
Hilo Man Arrested for Child Pornography ViolationRead the Press Release
HONOLULU –Kalana Limkin, age 18, of Hilo, made his initial appearance in United States District Court today before United States Magistrate Judge Rom Trader, following his arrest for violating child pornography law. He was ordered detained pending a detention hearing on December 21. The charge against Limkin was contained in a criminal complaint filed in federal court and unsealed upon his arrest.
The complaint and affidavit allege that Limkin was identified as the founder of a group, “Cultist”, which focused on specific behaviors, such as promoting child pornography, child exploitation, sexual extortion, and trafficking and self-harm of minors. Limkin allegedly uploaded multiple child pornography image files.
On September 12, 2023, the FBI issued a public notice (Violent Online Groups Extort Minors to Self-Harm and Produce Child Sexual Abuse Material) about groups that are “deliberately targeting minor victims on publicly available messaging platforms to extort them into recording or livestreaming acts of self-harm and producing child sexual abuse material.”
The FBI advises persons who believe they may be victims of a crime using these types of tactics, should retain all information regarding the incident (e.g., usernames, email addresses, websites or names of platforms used for communication, photos, videos, etc.) and immediately report it to:
FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov
FBI Honolulu Field Office [808-566-4300 or 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324)]
National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (1-800-THE LOST or www.cybertipline.org).
If indicted and convicted of the offense in the complaint, the defendant would face a mandatory minimum term of five years and up to 20 years in prison. The charges and information contained in the federal complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until indicted and proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The FBI and Hawaii County Police Department conducted the investigation resulting in the arrest. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mohammad Khatib.
Hartford Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Gun OffenseRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that AARON CHRISTIAN, 30, of Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 21 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for a firearm offense that followed a gang-related shootout.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 18, 2022, after an unidentified shooter, who is suspected of being a member of a rival gang, opened fire at individuals who were standing in a parking lot outside of a memorial gathering in Hartford, surveillance cameras at the location recorded at least nine individuals drawing firearms, and some of them returned fire. Shot Spotter technology recorded approximately 50 shots fired within approximately 90 seconds in and around the location, and law enforcement recovered at least 31 shell casings from the scene. It is alleged that Christian was present at the memorial gathering and was recorded on video firing at the fleeing assailant.
Following the shooting, Hartford Police obtained a warrant for Christian’s arrest. On July 14, 2022, officers encountered Christian standing with others outside of a smoke shop located at 390 Franklin Avenue in Hartford. As officers approached, Christian fled and attempted to throw a handgun onto the roof of the business. The gun struck the awning of the business and fell to the sidewalk. Christian was apprehended and officers recovered a loaded Ruger Model LCP .380 pistol from the sidewalk.
Christian’s criminal history includes state felony convictions for drug, larceny and threatening offenses. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
Christian has been detained since his arrest. On July 14, 2023, he pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.
State charges against Christian related to his alleged conduct on April 18, 2022 are pending.
This investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and the Hartford Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys John T. Pierpont, Jr. and Robert S. Dearington
U.S. Attorney Avery thanked the Hartford State Attorney’s Offices for its cooperation in the investigation and prosecution of this matter.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Grand Island Man Sentenced to 50 Months for Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Felix Chacon, 61, of Grand Island, Nebraska, was sentenced on December 18, 2023, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska for distribution of methamphetamine. Senior United States District Court Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Chacon to 50 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Chacon’s release from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release.
In February 2018, Chacon twice met with an informant and sold the informant methamphetamine during controlled purchases which were monitored and recorded by police. In total, Chacon sold the informant 57 grams of actual or pure methamphetamine. Chacon pleaded guilty to his offense on August 30, 2023.
Chacon’s sentencing included an enhancement for obstruction of justice. After his initial arrest on the charges in this case, Chacon was released from custody pending trial. However, Chacon failed to appear for trial on July 26, 2021. He was later arrested in January 2023 in New Mexico. Because he failed to appear for trial and absconded, an enhancement under the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines applied.
This case was investigated by the Trident Drug Task Force. The members of that task force include the Grand Island Police Department, Hall County Sheriff’s Department, Kearney Police Department, Buffalo County Sheriff’s Department, Hastings Police Department, Adams County Sheriff’s Department, the Nebraska State Patrol, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Georgetown Restauranteurs Sentenced to Prison for Tax Offenses and Theft of COVID-19 Relief FundsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Gholam “Tony” Kowkabi, 63, and Karen Kowkabi, 64, of Vienna, Va., were sentenced in federal court today to 57 months in prison and 24 months of probation, respectively, for tax offenses relating to their failure to pay more than $1.35 million of taxes arising from their operation of several restaurants in the Washington, D.C. area. Gholam Kowkabi was also sentenced for stealing more than $738,000 from the emergency small business relief funds his Georgetown restaurant—Ristorante Piccolo—received during the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of his guilty plea, Mr. Kowkabi acknowledged having spent money intended to help his business on a waterfront condo in Ocean City, Md., as well as personal investments, vacations for his family, and college tuition for his adult children.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves, Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, and Special Agent in Charge Kareem Carter of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS)-Criminal Investigation, Washington, D.C. Field Office.
Gholam Kowkabi pleaded guilty on Aug. 14, 2023, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to wire fraud and tax evasion. He was sentenced by the Honorable Reggie B. Walton. Following his prison term, Gholam Kowkabi will be placed on three years of supervised release. Gholam Kowkabi must pay $1,351,038.51 in restitution to the IRS and $738,657.18 in restitution to the Small Business Administration. In addition, the judge ordered the forfeiture of the Ocean City condominium, interest in multiple joint ventures, and a money judgment in the amount of $738,657.18.
Karen Kowkabi pleaded guilty on Aug.14, 2023, in the U.S. District Court to five counts of willfully failing to pay taxes. She also was sentenced by the Honorable Reggie B. Walton who ordered her to pay $1,351,038.51 in restitution to the IRS, owed jointly with Gholam Kowkabi.
The Tax Evasion Scheme
According to the statements of offense submitted to the Court and admitted by Gholam Kowkabi and Karen Kowkabi, the Kowkabis have owned and operated Ristorante Piccolo in Georgetown since 1986. The Kowkabis also owned and operated restaurants Catch 15 and Tuscana West in Washington, D.C. From 1998 to 2018, the Kowkabis amassed an unpaid tax balance of $1,351,038.51, including federal income and employment taxes and Trust Fund Recovery Penalties. Gholam Kowkabi admitted to willfully attempting to evade payment of those taxes by concealing assets and obscuring the large sums of money he took from the businesses by, among other means, purchasing property in the name of a nominee entity and causing false entries in the businesses’ books and records to hide personal purchases using business bank accounts. Karen Kowkabi also admitted that she willfully failed to pay these taxes owed to the IRS.
The Scheme to Steal COVID-19 Relief Funds
Further, from May 13, 2020, to July 27, 2021, Gholam Kowkabi obtained more than $1.6 million in COVID-19 relief funds, including $474,000 from first draw and second draw Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) for $499,900 and a Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF) grant for $631,823.28.
First Draw PPP loans were to be used to help fund payroll costs, including benefits, and could also be used to pay for mortgage interest, rent, utilities, worker protection costs related to COVID-19, uninsured property damage costs caused by looting or vandalism during 2020, and certain supplier costs and expenses for operations. Second Draw PPP loans were to be used to help fund payroll costs, including benefits. Second Draw PPP loan funds could also be used to pay for mortgage interest, rent, utilities, worker protection costs related to COVID-19, uninsured property damage costs caused by looting or vandalism during 2020, and certain supplier costs and expenses for operations. EIDL loan proceeds could be used for working capital to make regular payments for operating expenses, including payroll, rent/mortgage, utilities, and other ordinary business expenses, and to pay business debt. Restaurant Revitalization Funds could be used for specific expenses including business payroll costs (including sick leave), payments on any business mortgage obligation, business rent payments (not including prepayment), business debt service (not including prepayment), both principal and interest, business utility payments, business maintenance expenses, construction of outdoor seating, business supplies, business food and beverage expenses, covered supplier costs, business operating expenses.
In these applications and loan agreements, Gholam Kowkabi fraudulently and falsely promised that the PPP, EIDL, and RRF proceeds would be used solely for business-related and eligible purposes as specified in the applications. Instead, Gholam Kowkabi used a portion of the PPP funds, EIDL funds, and RRF funds for unauthorized purposes and for his own personal enrichment, including the purchase of a waterfront condo in Ocean City, Md., for more than $500,000, two joint venture investments totaling more than $250,000 for the construction of homes in Great Falls, Va., and more than $78,500 to open Divan Restaurant in McLean, Va. Gholam Kowkabi further spent more than $11,000 of COVID-19 relief funds on his home mortgage, more than $14,000 on vacations, more than $62,000 on personal legal expenses, more than $20,000 on home improvements, and more than $5,500 on college tuition payments.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves, Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Goldberg, and Special Agent in Charge Carter commended the work of those who investigated the case from IRS-CI. They expressed thanks for the assistance provided by the SBA Office of Inspector General during the investigation of this case. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Leslie A. Goemaat of the Fraud, Public Corruption, and Civil Rights Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and Trial Attorney Sarah Ranney of the Department of Justice, Tax Division.
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On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of fraud related to COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Framingham Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing Two Firearms and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Framingham man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to unlawfully possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon.
Edwin Alago, 42, pleaded guilty to one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. U.S. District Judge Denise J. Casper scheduled sentencing for March 12, 2024. Alago was indicted by a federal grand jury in June 2023 after being previously arrested on related state charges.
In May 2021, Alago possessed a SCCY .9mm CPX-2 semi-automatic pistol bearing a defaced serial number and seven rounds of .9mm ammunition. Due to previous felony convictions for drug distribution and possession and assault with a dangerous weapon, Alago is prohibited from possessing firearms.
The charge of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime provides for a sentence of up to life in prison and no less than five years in prison, up to five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Middlesex County District Attorney’s Office and the Framingham Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Meghan C. Cleary and Brian Sullivan of the Major Crimes Unit are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Four Todd County Men Sentenced in Assaulting a Federal Officer CaseRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced four Todd County, South Dakota men in a case that involved charges of Assaulting, Resisting, and Impeding a Federal Officer and Using and Carrying a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence.
Kevin Bordeaux, age 24, of Mission, South Dakota, pleaded guilty on May 15, 2023, to Assault With a Dangerous Weapon; Assaulting, Resisting and Impeding a Federal Officer; and Using and Carrying a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. On August 17, 2023, Bordeaux was sentenced to 18 years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $300 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Carston Eagle Deer, age 22, of Rosebud, South Dakota, pleaded guilty on August 14, 2023, to two counts of Assaulting, Resisting and Impeding a Federal Officer; and one count of Using and Carrying a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. On November 13, 2023, he was sentenced to 10 years and six months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $300 special assessment to the Federal Crimes Victim Fund.
Gervis Fool Bull, age 29, of Mission, South Dakota, pleaded guilty on May 22, 2023, to Assaulting, Resisting and Impeding a Federal Officer and Aiding and Abetting; and Obstructing Justice by Retaliating Against a Witness. On August 14, 2023, Fool Bull was sentenced to six years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Julian Moran, a/k/a Jullian Moran, age 29, of Mission, South Dakota, pleaded guilty on May 22, 2023, to Assaulting, Resisting, and Impeding a Federal Officer and Aiding and Abetting. On December 11, 2023, Moran was sentenced to all time served through December 21, 2023, equal to approximately 18 months in custody, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
The defendants were further ordered to pay restitution of $8,081.40, jointly and severally, for damage caused to a Tripp County Sheriff’s Office vehicle.
On the evening of July 6, 2022, Bordeaux got into a confrontation with his girlfriend at a residence in Todd County. Bordeaux produced a handgun and fired a single shot, striking his girlfriend in the area of her right hip. Bordeaux then departed the scene in a vehicle with Eagle Deer. A short time later, Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services (RSTLES) officers responded to a call for service from a provider at the Rosebud Indian Health Service (IHS) Hospital in Rosebud, who reported a woman had just arrived at the hospital after being shot by Bordeaux. The officers obtained a description of Bordeaux’s vehicle but were not able to locate him that evening.
On the morning of July 8, 2022, RSTLES officers were patrolling in Mission when they observed Bordeaux’s vehicle parked near an apartment building. Moran was standing next to the vehicle, Bordeaux was in the driver seat, Eagle Deer was in the front passenger seat, and Fool Bull was in the rear passenger seat. The officers approached and ordered Moran to show his hands. Moran refused commands and instead got into the rear passenger seat of the vehicle. Bordeaux then started the vehicle and drove away. The RSTLES officers pursued Bordeaux’s vehicle at high speeds from Mission heading east on U.S. Highway 18. The pursuit continued onto a gravel road, at which point Bordeaux and Eagle Deer produced handguns and began firing at the pursuing officers. Bordeaux and Eagle Deer then threw their handguns out the window. As the pursuit approached Winner, South Dakota, the RSTLES officers coordinated with deputies from the Tripp County Sheriff’s Office (TCSO) and officers from the Winner Police Department. Moran and Fool Bull threw items from the vehicle during the pursuit for the purpose of obstructing and interfering with the pursuing officers. During the pursuit, Bordeaux rammed a TCSO vehicle. The pursuit ended when a TCSO vehicle made contact with Bordeaux’s vehicle, causing it to spin out of control and into the ditch. All four defendants were placed under arrest.
On October 17, 2022, Fool Bull was in pretrial detention in the Winner City Jail when he approached another inmate and assaulted that inmate for providing information to law enforcement.
In January of 2023, Eagle Deer was on pretrial release when an arrest warrant was issued for violating the conditions of his release and absconding from supervision. Eagle Deer’s whereabouts were subsequently unknown until May 13, 2023. On the morning of May 13, 2023, a RSTLES officer was patrolling in Mission when he observed Eagle Deer’s vehicle. Eagle Deer attempted to drive away but became stuck. Eagle Deer ignored the officer’s commands to surrender and instead fled his vehicle on foot. The officer caught up to Eagle Deer after a short pursuit, but Eagle Deer physically resisted and attempted to put the officer in a headlock. The officer subsequently escorted Eagle Deer to the ground and placed him under arrest.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by the FBI, RSTLES, TCSO, and the Winner Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Bordeaux, Eagle Deer, Fool Bull, and Moran were immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service at the conclusion of their individual sentencings.